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Vegetable Oil - The Handy, Multipurpose Oil
Vegetable oil is a cooking oil made from a blend of various oils, often sunflower, peanut, cottonseed, corn, safflower, sunflower, palm or soybean oils. These oils are neutral in flavor and pale in color. They have a mild taste and a high smoke point.
Oils from plants have been used for thousands of years and in many cultures. A 4,000 year old kitchen was unearthed in Charlestown State Park in Indiana and there was evidence that the natives were using rocks to crush hickory nuts. They would then boil these in water to extract the oil.
Uses of Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil contains polyunsaturated fat and can be used for shallow or deep frying, baking, and making salad dressings. It is low in sodium and cholesterol and is a healthy fat.
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oils are usually liquid at room temperature but we still get margarine made from, for example, corn oil and sunflower oil, which is solid. The process used to transfer the liquid to the solid is called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation means the food has flavor and a long shelf life. The problem with hydrogenation is that it changes the characteristics of the oils and produces trans fatty acids, which are thought to be unhealthy.
How is Vegetable Oil Extracted?
There are 3 methods for extracting vegetable oils from grains, seeds, olives, nuts or beans. The first is by using a hydraulic press, which gives the best oil and is the oldest method. Olive oil and sesame oil do not need to be heated first to produce sufficient oil, so these are often "cold-pressed." Pressed oils tend to have more flavor, odor and color (and therefore a higher nutritional value) than oils produced by other methods.
The second method for vegetable oil extraction is to expel it. This is when a continuous press with rotating shaft puts cooked material under pressure until the oil is squeezed out. The normal temperatures when using this method are between 200ºF and 250ºF.
The final method is solvent extraction, when the oil-bearing source is ground, steam cooked and mixed with a solvent. The solvent dissolves and is separated from the oil. This is the quickest, cheapest method and is used for 98% of the soy oil in the US.
Vegetable Oil Substitute
If a recipe calls for vegetable oil and you are out of it, you can use melted shortening, corn oil or safflower oil. If you just need it for greasing pans, you can use cooking spray.
Non-Food Uses for Vegetable Oil
As well as being a cooking oil, soaps, candles, perfumes, pet foods, cosmetics, lubricants, and paints often contain vegetable oil.
CO2 and Vegetable Oil
Some kinds of vegetable oil can be used as a fuel for vehicles. Plants use photosynthesis to remove CO2, or carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere to make vegetable oil. After burning this in an engine, the same CO2 goes back into the atmosphere, meaning that the use of vegetable oil does not increase CO2 or contribute to the greenhouse gas problem. CO2 is a renewable energy
